18 frames...into the harvest

[Tremyfro]

18 frames taken from our 2 hives yesterday. We haven't weighed it yet....so not sure how much we have. We have 12 boxes of cut comb, that was weighed at 2.760kg and the rest was extracted using a tangetial extractor. All the Grandchildren had a chance to turn the handle and see the honey spinning out. Lots of sticky hands and faces. All of the foundationless comb stood up to the extraction. No burst comb. This was really interesting as we fully expected, at least, some to collapse. It was very soft compared to the foundation comb. After extraction...the comb was creamy white.
After using this manual extractor...we have enormous respect for the people who extract honey from lots of hives! It was really hard work....mainly because it took time for us to realise that the frames were sitting in the honey and I was turning the honey too.....phew....glad we sussed that one!
The honey is a pale lemon colour with a great flavour.
I put all the cappings in a large kilner jar and poured a bottle of vodka over it.
Then someone had the clever idea of returning the frames to the hives for the bees to clean up........Ha Ha .....you say.....good idea......but not on a windy evening....on the same day....with slight drizzle.....HA HA .....due to the sampling of the honey vodka we neglected to put our bee suits on. After all, we were just going to slide the super back on top of the hives. Ha Ha ...Ha........bees came out of Hive 1 like Armageddon......5 stings apiece.
We beat a hasty retreat and regrouped. After donning bee suits collecting smoker we approached again..... they cried.....do come closer....didn't recognise ya'all without the suits.......we lifted the roof slid on the supers....no problem. Hardly a bee to be seen....didn't need bee suits or smoker.
We crept...slightly chastened ....back to the honey vodka....very yum some.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sounds like a great family affair


All this talk of honey vodka.....must try it.
I got four boxes of cut comb out of the one frame, another ten to go but gave up as it was too warm....honey all over the place. Frames are in the fridge till tomorrow.

 

[Tremyfro]

Ish delish....

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

All this talk of honey vodka.....must try it.

Made a couple of litres last year - rather nice, of course the vidka/cappings ratio can be a bit empirical and the batch we made could be a tad sickly, simple solution was to dilute it a bit - with more vodka!

 

[Tremyfro]

We just poured some over some chopped strawberries......fabulous. The further down the jar we go the sweeter it is....almost time to add more vodka.

 

[Ely]

Does quality of vodka matter?

 

[2hives]

Honey Vodka.

Sorry-new kid speaking. How to you make honey vodka? All recipes gratefully received.

 

[Tremyfro]

After a few dips into the jar...you wouldn't be able to tell! I used cheapest from Lidl. Very drinkable. Has to be the best ending to honey collection. Next I am making some mead. Got me a great recipe. It can ferment alongside the Pinot Grigio and the Elderflower. I will have 3 demijohns left to play with. When the blackberries are ready...blackberry wine.....the raspberries are ripe at our local PYO farm. Just leaves 1.......what will it be?

 

[Hachi]

Sloe

 

[Blue Spinnaker]

Blackcurrant vodka, delicious. Going to try gooseberry vodka this year.

 

[Erichalfbee]

JB, your honey vodka is legendary.
I have raspberry mead on the go from last year. Time to try it

 

[Erichalfbee]

We just poured some over some chopped strawberries......fabulous.

Can you still see to do that?

 

[Tremyfro]

Doing it by Braille......
For those who want it here is the recipe ......it is really difficult....you really need to be an expert....but here goes
Collect all the cappings and transfer in to the biggest kilner jar you can find. Mine is very ancient....but probably adds flavour. Go to vodka shop...buy vodka. Return home hugging vodka.
Pour as much vodka as you can into cappings....stir well. Strain some off through a jelly bag into jug. Sample for taste. Top up the cappings with more vodka. Repeat as many times as you can manage. Depending on the sampling...you eventually have a jug of honey vodka. Bottle it....if you have any left. Don't invite friends around or they will not leave until you run out. Or you can forget about the cappings and just add honey to vodka to taste....but that takes all the fun out of it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Sorry-new kid speaking. How to you make honey vodka? All recipes gratefully received.

Honey cappings, large bowl, cover in vodka, leave steep for a while stirring occasionally (12 to 24 hours) strain, bottle, drink. (also means you have nice clean cappings!)

 

[Tremyfro]

Yes...sloe gin is a good idea. I still have some left from last year. I usually make it in a kilner jar....not a demijohn. I don't want to make elderberry wine. The last time I did that....it had so much tannin in it!

 

[Tremyfro]

My God JBM....you wait 12 hours!!!!! I don't think we waited 12 minutes!!!

 

[Hivemaker.]

I don't think we waited 12 minutes!!!

A complete alcoholic, have fun.

 

[REDWOOD]

12 minutes, I don't think I had screwed the tops on the mead and my wife had drunk a bottle

 

[Melbee]

JBM's recipe but substituted gin for vodka. Twist of lemon. Lovely

 

[Bosleeu]

I have done it for the first time and it is delicious thank you.